Press freedom crisis in the Occupied Territories
(CPJ/IFEX) – The following is a 1 April 2002 CPJ press release: Press Freedom Crisis in the Occupied Territories Israel bars press from Ramallah; several journalists wounded by gunfire New York, April 1, 2002-The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) is alarmed by the mounting press freedom crisis in the West Bank as Israeli forces widen […]
Palestinian cameraman seriously wounded in Ramallah
(RSF/IFEX) – On 29 March 2002, RSF protested the shooting of Carlos Handal, a Palestinian television cameraman working for the Egyptian station Nile TV, in the West Bank town of Ramallah. According to Handal’s colleague, the shot was fired by an Israeli sniper. “Once again, we call on the Israeli authorities, to investigate and identify […]
CPJ protests shooting of journalist
(CPJ/IFEX) – In a 21 February 2002 letter to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, CPJ strongly protested last week’s shooting of journalist Sagui Bashan, a reporter with Israel’s Channel 2 television station, by Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) soldier(s) near the Gaza Strip. On 14 February, one or more IDF soldiers opened fire on Bashan while the […]
Soldiers fire at journalist’s car and injure him
(RSF/IFEX) – In a letter to Israeli Chief of Staff Shaul Moffaz, RSF protested Israeli soldiers’ shooting at Sagui Bashan’s car in Netzarim (Gaza Strip). Bashan is a journalist for Israel’s second television channel. “Whatever their nationality, journalists should be able to move freely around the different territories without putting their lives at risk,” stated […]
Journalists prevented from entering Gaza Strip
(RSF/IFEX) – In a letter to Israeli Chief of Staff Shaul Moffaz, RSF protested the ban imposed on journalists on 13 February 2002. Journalists were barred from covering Israeli army operations in the Gaza Strip on that day. “It is unacceptable that Israeli authorities prevent journalists from doing their jobs,” stated RSF Secretary-General Robert Ménard. […]
Palestinian journalists’ press cards not renewed
(RSF/IFEX) – RSF is indignant over the Israeli Government Press Office’s (GPO) non-renewal of press cards for Palestinian journalists working for international media organisations. Robert Ménard, the organisation’s secretary-general, expressed his consternation over the decision. “This measure constitutes clear discrimination. It is not only the Palestinian media that is being targeted here, but also the […]
RSF disappointed by report on injuries to foreign journalists covering violence in the Occupied Territories
(RSF/IFEX) – The following is a 28 December 2001 RSF open letter to Israeli Minister of Defence Benjamin Ben-Eliezer: Mr. Benjamin Ben-Eliezer Minister of Defence Tel Aviv, Israel Paris, 28 December 2001 Dear Sir, We hereby wish to inform you that we have taken note of the “Report on injury of foreign journalists covering the […]
CPJ responds to Israeli army report on journalist shootings
(CPJ/IFEX) – The following is a 21 December 2001 CPJ press release: CPJ RESPONDS TO ISRAELI ARMY REPORT ON JOURNALIST SHOOTINGS December 21, 2001, New York-The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) welcomes the Israel Defense Forces (IDF)’s new report on the issue of journalists wounded by gunfire while covering events in the West Bank and […]
Israeli soldiers shoot at Lebanese journalists in Lebanon
(RSF/IFEX) – In a letter to Israeli Minister of Defence Benjamin Ben-Eliezer, RSF protested Israeli soldiers’ recent shooting at a team of journalists from the Lebanese television channel Al-Manar on the Lebanese side of the Israeli border. RSF Secretary-General Robert Ménard called on the minister “to make sure that this type of intimidation does not […]
Israeli forces harass journalists, bar them from covering clashes
(CPJ/IFEX) – The following is a 25 October 2001 CPJ press release: CPJ: Israeli forces harass journalists, bar them from covering clashes New York, October 25, 2001-The Committee to Protect journalists is deeply troubled that Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) harassed journalists and barred them from covering clashes in the Palestinian village of Beit Rima on […]
Journalists refused access to two villages
(IPI/IFEX) – In a 24 October 2001 letter to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, IPI strongly condemned the decision of the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) to close the villages of Beit Reema and Deir Ghassana to journalists. According to IPI’s sources, on 24 October, the IDF refused journalists access to Beit Reema, a village on the […]
State radio station Kol Israel banned from broadcasting live interviews with Palestinian leaders
(RSF/IFEX) – In a letter to Minister Raanan Cohen, RSF protested the ban on live interviews with Palestinian militants broadcast by radio station Kol Israel. “During these times of escalating violence, Israeli and Palestinian audiences should have access to pluralistic information,” said Robert Ménard, the organisation’s secretary-general. “We fear that this measure may lead to […]
Photographer’s vehicle hit by bullets
(RSF/IFEX) – In a letter to Israeli Minister of Defence Benyamin Ben Eliezer, RSF protested the firing of shots at the vehicle of Associated Press (AP) photographer Elizabeth Dalziel in Hebron. Robert Ménard, the organisation’s secretary-general, asked that “the results of the investigation be rapidly made public.” He also noted that “It [was] fortunate that […]
Investigation into shooting of journalist closed
(RSF/IFEX) – The following is an RSF open letter to Israeli Minister of Justice Meir Sheetrit: Paris, 14 September 2001 Dear Sir, We wish to express our outrage concerning the Israeli courts’ decision to close the inquiry into the shooting of TF1 journalist Bertrand Aguirre in May 2001. Eran Shangar, director of the Israeli police […]
IFJ warns of press freedom crisis after killing of journalists
(IFJ/IFEX) – The following is a 6 August 2001 IFJ media release: IFJ Warns of Palestine Press Freedom Crisis After Killing of Journalists The International Federation of Journalists, the world’s largest journalists’ organisation, today warned that independent media coverage of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict will become impossible if journalists continued to be among the targets of […]
Israeli army chief orders commanders to ensure journalists’ safety
(CPJ/IFEX) – The following is a 27 July 2001 CPJ press release: Israeli Army chief orders commanders to ensure safety of journalists New York, July 27, 2001 — Responding to concerns repeatedly expressed by the Committee to Protect Journalists and other international press freedom groups, Israeli military authorities have ordered field commanders to protect journalists […]